(Photo courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – A former police officer who went rogue and is now listed as one of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) most wanted person was arrested in Plaridel, Bulacan, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas said on Tuesday.
Sinas identified the suspect as Bernard Villena, who was arrested by police operatives on Monday noon at a hardware store in Barangay Bintog, Plaridel Bulacan.
Villena, who was previously assigned at the Manila Police District (MPD), joined the police service in 1997 and was dismissed in 2018. In 2015, he was accused of raping his 12-year-old daughter in Valenzuela City.
"The intelligence build-up effort and campaign against wanted persons includes police scalawags who deserve to be put behind bars for their crimes,” Sinas said.
Villena is facing rape and acts of lasciviousness charges in relation to Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act and carries a bounty of PHP135,000.
He was brought to the Regional Intelligence Unit National Capital Region-Intelligence Group for documentation and proper disposition. (PNA)
